Blog

This guest blog has been written by Colette Hearity a mixed EYFS KS1 teacher. Colette completed her PGCE at Edge Hill University and has worked across key stages throughout her teaching career, although her true passion is within the Early Years Foundation Stage.  
She recently completed the NaSENCO Award and currently leads Early years SEND, Science, History and Spanish in her school.
You can follow her @eyfsearlyyearsideas

The Truth behind Transition

As us teachers are dragging ourselves through the final few weeks of term the thought of transitions should be at the forefront of all our minds.

It is vital that we make this time in children’s academic journey as smooth as possible, especially as lots of children find the step up from Early Years into Key Stage 1 so daunting.

But why is this?

Whether it’s due to the jump in expectations, the more formalised learning or just no longer believing they are, ‘playing all day’ children’s wellbeing after joining KS1 and beginning the rigo...

My obsession with classroom environments began when I first visited St John’s C of E Primary School. From the moment I walked in I was struck by the calm atmosphere and serenity it brought to their children. My colleague and I whispered to each other is disbelief “it’s just so calm”. Upon walking back into my own classroom I was smacked in the face with bright colours and loud noises! Everything felt over stimulating and busy by comparison; as if there were balls of high energy bouncing around the walls! From then onwards I was hooked into finding ways of calming my classroom and moulding the environment to generate the same serene feeling I’d experienced at St John’s.

I began with the lights! First of all, I wanted to reduce the lighting, I’m lucky to have two large windows and a half glass door within my room; meaning that most days there is sufficient natural light filling the space. So I borrowed a set of ladders and set about reducing the fluorescent lighting. All of my ceilin...